Cleaning one's teeth is a necessary, yet time consuming chore necessary for good oral health. Various manual and powered dental cleaning products exist for the removal of dental plaque from the teeth. Most manual and power toothbrushes require two or more minutes of use in order to effectively remove plaque buildup. However, studies have shown the average person only brushes for a mere thirty-seven seconds. Furthermore, nearly eighty-seven percent of the population does not floss daily, which may lead to additional plaque buildup between teeth that can result in poor oral health.
Power toothbrushes have been shown by clinical studies to more effectively remove plaque. But, less than 30 percent of the population of the United States uses a power toothbrush. The effectiveness of power toothbrushes is also very technique dependent. Small brushing heads on typical toothbrushes require precision positioning for the bristles to contact the proper locations on the teeth. Poor technique may result in tooth surfaces being cleaned in a non-uniform fashion, which may lead to plaque buildup that is even more difficult to remove during subsequent cleanings. Poor brushing techniques may also lead to other oral health problems, such as soft-tissue abrasion, gingival recession, cervical wear (wear occurring at the neck of the tooth), and dentinal hypersensitivity.